Gulf Shores offers new design for pedestrian bridge

Gulf Shores offers new design for pedestrian bridge
Although the new design for its pedestrian bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway will not have ramps for bicyclists as originally planned, the seven story bridge (pictured) will have elevators big enough for bikes and wheelchairs and it will be way less expensive than the original design.
The bridge will be located adjacent to Tacky Jack’s at the west end of Canal Rd. near Big Beach Brewery, and will be the only way for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross the Intracoastal in the city once Hwy. 59 is widened to accomodate a third lane going east.
“While the project has encountered some challenges, we remain committed to delivering a safe, atheistically pleasing bridge that enhances our community’s connectivity and quality of life,’’ city officials stated.
The original steel design included ramps, but it came in significantly over budget. “Moving forward with that expense was not feasible, so we went back to the drawing board,’’ officials stated.
The new bridge will be pre-fabricated and designed to allow ramps in the future.
The firm designing the project, Volkert, has already submitted the new plans to the Al. Dept. of Transportation for review.
A new bid for construction will be let in October, and the bridge will be complete in 2027.
A BUILD grant will partially fund the project as part of the Hwy 59 expansion project. The city is already implementing changes to improve traffic flow in the area during and after construction is complete. Those include:
• Additional turn lanes at the intersection of East 2nd St. and East 22nd Ave.
• Resurfacing of East 22nd Ave., East 24th Ave. between East 2nd St and East 3rd St., and East 3rd St. (between E 22nd Ave. and East Canal Dr.
• Traffic signals will be installed at the East 2nd St. & East 22nd Ave. and East 3rd St. & East 24th Ave. intersections.
• New sidewalks along East 22nd Ave., East 3rd St., and East 24th Ave.
• There will be a turnaround on East Canal Dr. beyond East 3rd St. after a bid on the pedestrian bridge is accepted.
“The Waterway into a vibrant activity center. As Gulf Shores continues to grow, this area will become a central hub for residents and visitors to park, walk, eat, and shop,’’ the city stated in its release.
“The bridge represents a step towards creating a downtown that showcases the best of our City.’’